


Adaptation

by fire_bolero (tria_star)



Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X
Genre: F/M, robots in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-18
Updated: 2013-07-18
Packaged: 2017-12-20 14:39:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/888438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tria_star/pseuds/fire_bolero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During an unexpected encounter, Iris sees her commanding officer in a new light. Pre-X4. Very mild Iris/Zero. Originally posted on GreatestJournal in 2008.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Adaptation

Shadows lengthened at Hunter headquarters, and Iris lay on her recharger bed, idly running a brush through her hair.

She closed her eyes, listening to the soft, zinging sound of the brush and the faint sounds of reploid life around her - the occasional heavy footstep overhead, voices rising and falling as they darted past her door, and music filtering up from the room below.

Colonel was late again. He had promised to take her to Central Park this evening, and absolutely insisted on accompanying her whenever she left the safety of the compound. She adored his company, of course, and his preoccupation with her well-being made him even more dear, and yet . . .

She sighed and sat up, setting the brush down on her bedside table. Her gaze fell on the wispy purple flower Colonel had brought back for her from his last forest campaign. She reached out and touched it tenderly, frowning as more of its petals fell to join the others drying on the floor. The poor thing was starting to wilt, despite her loving attention.

 _I wonder if it needs something?_  she mused to herself, holding a ribbon in her teeth while she gathered her hair at the nape of her neck.

The door chimed. She took the ribbon out of her mouth and let her hair fall. "Coming!"

Picking her way around the clutter on her floor, she worked the door controls and primed her cheekiest smile. "Late  _again_ , Colonel! What am I going to do with -- "

It  _wasn't_  Colonel.

" -- oh, Commander Zero!" Her hand flew to her lips, then she remembered her salute, just barely.

The tall red reploid was leaning against her door frame, arms crossed, looking bemused and bit embarrassed. "Iris."

They  _had_  worked together once, months ago, during the Soul Eraser incident, but they hadn't spoken since. There was no reason to think that he was there on a social call, nor did it make sense that he would show up in person to give her orders.  _So, why is he --_

"I, um, where's, where's Colonel?" Her face burned. How witless she sounded!

His lip twisted. "Your brother's being kept out late with the new recruits tonight, and I owed him a favor, so he asked me to take you instead."

Was Zero staring at her? Those eyes were pure steel, prying away her defenses and leaving her soul naked and exposed before him. No - he always looked like that, didn't he? Her fingertips fell to her collar, reassuring her that her armor was still in place.

"How thoughtful of you both!" There, she had remembered her manners, though her reply was purely automated - the Iris inside still stood paralyzed by his terrifying, exhilarating presence.

She managed to smile and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous habit of hers.  _Something_  changed in his expression as she did so - or was it her imagination? Hadn't his arms uncrossed slightly? She was sure of it.

A flood of feeling, something like power, something like danger, rose rapidly in her chest. She was suddenly aware of her own breathing.

"Well . . . " Zero straightened and looked at her expectantly. "Want to get going? Do you need the coordinates?"

She had already downloaded them for herself, of course, but she nodded, looking at him sidelong from beneath her eyelashes. "I hope you don't mind if I steal a ride."

Casually, Zero extended his hand toward her, and she took it with a barely concealed gasp - it  _burned_  her, the unfathomable verve of energy behind that touch. He drew her in closer and she looked up at him in wonder, eyes narrowed in pain, core throbbing faintly. Before she could draw another dizzy breath, the two of them dissolved into lines of shimmering code.

As they winked out of existence, another petal sank to her bedroom floor.


End file.
